Sterling Ruby’s Luminous Addition To The Californian Desert

A rectangular prism of fluorescent orange burns bright under the sun in Coachella Valley. Titled ‘Specter’, it is the work of American artist Sterling Ruby, presented as part of the second iteration of Desert X.

Occupying 55 miles of Southern California’s valley, Desert X has repurposed the former nuclear test site as a vast and beautiful exhibition space for artists. Neville Wakefield, the artistic director of the biennial, explained that the 19 commissioned artworks “embrace a range of ecological, environmental, and social issues that have been driving conversations about our role in the Anthropocene.”

Ruby’s ‘Specter’ is a luminous addition to the Californian landscape, its shimmering mass almost seems a mirage when viewed at a distance. The color is blinding, increasing visibility of ‘Specter’, but decreasing legibility: What actually is it? Shaped like a bunker, the structure has no entry. Its monolithic mass will remain on show from sunrise to sunset until the 21st of April, 2019. Entry to Desert X is free.